by Karen Booth
“What could you possibly blackmail Zach with?”
Shayla laughed. “Let me guess. He told you that he’s cleaned up his act. Well, he hasn’t. He’s just as messed up as ever and has a ton of gambling debts. That’s the real reason he’s back pulling on the family purse strings. He needs the money.”
It all made sense now. Of course Zach hadn’t really put himself back together. He’d merely managed to make it look as though he had. The trouble was that he could never seem to do anything without making threats. That had always been one of his biggest downfalls. “Shayla, I’m your boss. I’ve never had a single romantic thought about you. I don’t know why you would think I would. It’s not appropriate.”
Her jaw tightened. “Oh, you’re my boss? Now you care about what’s appropriate? You were willing to cross that line for Nadia, but you weren’t willing to cross it for me?”
“Nadia was different.” As soon as he’d said it and he heard his own words, he knew that Nadia was, indeed, different. He loved her. She was the only woman for him. And if he didn’t act quickly, he might lose her forever. “Braydon,” he called. “Get Security up here. Now.”
Suddenly Shayla was like an animal backed into a corner. “You’re calling Security on me? I will take you down, Matt Richmond. Even if I have to use Zach to do it.”
“You can’t hurt me any more than you already have, Shayla. You made me lose the woman I love.”
For the first time during their exchange, Shayla looked truly hurt. “You love her?”
“I do. And now I’m going to beg her to take me back.” He marched out of the room just as two members of the security team arrived. He looked back at Shayla, feeling nothing but pity for her. “Get her out of here. She’s fired.”
* * *
Nadia had not done well with her brief unemployment. It was not a break, nor was it a vacation. She tried to sleep in, but she only tossed and turned. She’d tried long walks and marathon trips to the gym, but those didn’t help, either, especially when she saw people covering their mouths and whispering about her. It seemed that this time, everyone in Seattle had seen the tabloid dirt. This was what her life had become—she was blacklisted.
Even her family was embarrassed. She’d hoped they wouldn’t find out about the tabloid story, but they had, and when they called her on it, some terrible words had come up. Words like shameful. Her parents were glad she’d quit Matt’s company and begged her to come back to California, where she could get a normal job and live a quiet life. It was the last thing Nadia wanted. She knew there were professional challenges for her in Seattle. But she needed someone to take a chance on her and that person was Teresa. So, on her third day away from Richmond Industries, Nadia called Teresa and asked if she could have a trial employment period with Limitless Events.
She asked for no pay, and although she was willing to work on the Richmond retreat, she wanted to do it behind the scenes. No one could know what she was doing, or where she was working, which was with Teresa. And that meant at The Opulence. Mostly she didn’t want Matt to know.
He hadn’t reached out once in the week they’d been apart, which was a good thing, but it had all changed today. In fact, he’d called three times and it was only early afternoon. She missed him terribly, but she was resigned to her fate and she wasn’t going to call him back. She wouldn’t even listen to the messages. They could be friends someday, but even with all of their work troubles aside, he wasn’t prepared to give her what she wanted. He wasn’t a man who was looking for the long haul. The sooner she learned to live with that, the better off she’d be.
Nadia was hunkered down in one of The Opulence meeting rooms with seating charts for the various meals to be served during the retreat when Teresa walked in. “Is there something wrong with your phone?” she asked.
Nadia picked it up and looked at it. Another message from Matt. “No. Matt keeps calling, so I haven’t been answering it.”
“Why? Don’t want to talk to him?”
“What is there to say? Even with our work problems aside, he’s not a commitment kind of guy, and that’s all I’ve ever wanted. It’s best if we stay away from each other for a while.”
Teresa blew out a breath. “Well, I’m sorry, but I’m afraid that I outed you. He called me an hour ago and asked if I knew where you were, so I told him.”
“You did what?”
Teresa shrugged. “Sorry. He insisted. He said it was life or death. He’s on his way here right now.”
Nadia got up from the table, now in a panic. She wasn’t prepared to see Matt. She was wearing a very plain black skirt and boring white blouse and her hair was so frizzy from being around Centennial Falls all the time. “What do I do?”
“Go out to the lobby, wait for him to arrive and see what he has to say?”
Nadia stormed past Teresa and out into the hall. “That’s not super helpful.”
“Sorry. I’m no relationship expert. Ask anyone.”
“Oh, my God. I can’t believe this is happening.” Nadia strode down the hall, her heart threatening to pound its way out of her throat. She had to prepare herself for what Matt might say. If he asked to get back together, she was going to have to stay strong and say no. And if he asked her something else, well, she couldn’t imagine what that might be, so she’d just have to wing it. It then occurred to her that he might simply need something work-related. But that didn’t make sense, either. Why would a guy as busy as Matt drive all the way out to The Opulence to ask her a question?
She was heading for the lobby when she heard a voice behind her.
A voice that made her clamp her eyes shut as a million feelings came roaring back to life. “Nadia. I’ve been looking for you everywhere.”
She turned, and the minute she laid eyes on Matt, the notion of being strong went right out the window. She’d have to fake it. “What are you doing here?” Knowing that if she got any closer to him, she’d only get weaker, she stood her ground.
It was Matt who closed the gap between them. “I left you messages. Shayla was behind everything, not Zach.” He looked down at the ground and stuffed his hands into his pockets. “Actually, Zach still played his part, but Shayla blackmailed him. So she could get rid of you.”
“What did I ever do to her?” Nadia was still trying to catch up to the things Matt had just said.
“It was my fault. She said she was in love with me and had been for years. I know it sounds crazy, but you were the one who got in the way.”
Nadia had to laugh, even though it was a short-lived chuckle. “I told you she had it for you.” She took zero solace in being right. “I’m glad you figured out the mystery. At least I know now why I lost my job.”
“You could come back if you wanted to.”
She shook her head, thankful Teresa had taken a chance on her. It made it easier to say no to Matt. “I’m working for Limitless now. It’s on a trial basis, but Teresa and I work well together. I think it’s going to be good for me.”
“I am so happy to hear that. You’re going to do an amazing job.” His eyes filled with hope, and that made Nadia’s heart sink. She loved Matt. She didn’t want him to think there was a chance. “Which brings me to the subject of us and back to the subject of Shayla.”
“You know I had to leave for reasons that go way beyond Shayla. Your family, and your willingness to commit. Both huge problems.”
Matt was quick to shake his head. He took her hand. “First off, I called my parents right after I talked to Shayla. They can’t believe what she and Zach got up to. They feel terrible that he lied to everyone. They feel terrible for you. They want to meet you. For real. Just the four of us. No creepy brothers allowed.”
Nadia smiled. This was so sweet, and a few weeks ago this would have been the best news ever. “That’s nice to hear, but—”
“No. Wait. Hold on. Let me get the rest of this o
ut. Because the rest of this is all on me. I love you, Nadia Gonzalez. I love you more than words can explain. And I’m sorry that I didn’t say that while we were together, but I’m saying it now. I realized it this morning after all of the craziness with Shayla. That’s why I’ve been calling. That’s why I left messages and drove all the way up here.”
Nadia didn’t move. She couldn’t speak. Hell, she could hardly blink. “You love me? I love you, too.”
A purely happy smile crossed his face. “I love you so much that I can’t ever let you go. I can’t let you out of my sight. I want you forever.” And then Matt Richmond, the man she had once thought could never be for her, knelt and looked up into her eyes, holding her hand tightly and filling her with so much love and optimism that she thought her heart might burst. “Will you stay with me forever? Will you be my wife?”
“Yes. Oh, my God. Yes.” She tugged on his hand. “Now get up here and kiss me.”
Matt stood and swept her into his arms, holding her so tightly that he lifted her feet off the ground. The kiss was warm and soft and absolutely perfect. He was the man she loved and she had him. Forever.
Somewhere off in the distance, she heard applause, which she was sure was just her heart, but then Matt set her back on the floor and she turned to see the lobby full of people clapping. Isabel, Aspen, Teresa, the guys from the valet stand, the bellhops and guests had seen it all. Nadia couldn’t even be embarrassed. She was just too happy.
“Congratulations.” Teresa gave them each a hug, then took Nadia’s hand. “No ring, Matt?”
Matt’s shoulders dropped. “I know, I know. I should have come prepared, but I didn’t want to wait.” He then turned to Nadia and took her hand, bringing it to his lips. “Plus, you should have the chance to pick out whatever you want. I was thinking Tiffany’s. In New York.”
Was this really her life now? Wow. “Uh, sure. That sounds amazing. I guess we could go sometime after the retreat.”
He shook his head. “I was thinking tomorrow night. I have a few things I need to catch up on, but I want you to have a ring as soon as possible. We’ll just go for a day or two.”
Nadia turned to Teresa. “Is that going to be okay with you? I just started work.”
Teresa smiled. “Of course. Who am I to stand in the way of true love?”
Fifteen
Teresa had to admit that watching Matt profess his love for Nadia had certainly put her in a romantic mood. It had been such a sweet moment, and it was so nice to see things work out for them. Today they would be flying off to New York so Matt could take Nadia to Tiffany & Co. for a ring. Teresa would’ve been jealous if she didn’t have her own prize waiting for her back in Seattle. Her dinner with Liam.
She’d been in the car for about a half hour when he called. “Hello?” she answered over the speakerphone.
“So there’s a slight change of plans if that’s okay.”
“I’m already on my way back.”
“We’re still having dinner. But not at my place. I was hoping we could take out my boat. It was one of the few things my dad and I used to do together and I thought it would be a good way to honor his memory.” Just when she was about to mention that she was not much of a fisherman, he continued. “It’s nice. I promise. You’ll be comfortable.”
Honestly, all she wanted was to see him and pick up where they’d left off. “Okay, great.”
“Also, you should know that I have my copy of my dad’s will and I’m waiting until tonight to open it.”
“Why would you wait?”
“It’s going to be emotional and I wanted to be away from the office and my house when I did it. Plus, my dad liked you a lot. That means something.”
Teresa sighed. She really enjoyed this softer side of Liam. “That all sounds wonderful. Just tell me where to meet you.”
“I’ll text you the info. How long will you be?”
“I’m a half hour away now. Do I have time to go home and change?”
“I don’t really see the point. You won’t be wearing clothes for long.”
A smile crossed Teresa lips and she ran her fingers along the stitching on the steering wheel. “You make a compelling case. I’ll come straight over.”
“Good. I can’t wait.”
Teresa hung up, but found her phone ringing again right away with an unknown number. She really needed a break, but that would have to come after the retreat. For now, she had to answer. “Hello?”
“Hey, sis.”
She sat a little straighter in her seat. “Joshua. How are you? Is everything okay?” She hadn’t received any more phone calls after Liam’s guy checked on Josh. Please let nothing be wrong now.
“Everything is fine. I’ve got everything worked out. Just stop checking on me all the time, okay?”
“Well, maybe if you’d called me back on a more regular basis, I wouldn’t need to do that.”
“I’m busy, okay. I’m working. I have to have a job, you know.”
“Does this job involve things that are legal?” She couldn’t take it if Joshua ended up in jail. She’d worked so hard to keep him out. And, of course, she could only imagine trying to explain it to her mother. Teresa was responsible one way or another, whether she liked it or not.
“Yes. I promise. Everything is fine.” He sighed heavily. “Look, I know you’ve always been there for me, but you’re not Mom. I can take care of myself. At some point, you’re going to have to trust me to do what’s right.”
A little piece of Teresa felt like it was dying. She’d cared for her brother for as long as she could remember. Forget responsibility. It was her instinct to do it. “I know. I hope you can appreciate why I want to protect you. I love you.” Tears began to well at the corners of her eyes.
“I love you, too. Everything is going to be fine. I promise.”
His voice was clear and strong and that made her want to believe that things really would be okay. “Good. I’m glad to hear it.”
“Cool. Well, I have stuff to do. I’ll try to call more often. Bye.”
“Bye.” Teresa hung up and was overcome with a feeling she didn’t have very often—calm. Things were working out. They were falling into place. Who knew that was even possible? Her phone beeped with the text from Liam. She clicked on the link and it pulled up the navigation for Shilshole Bay Marina.
When she arrived, Teresa parked her car, grabbed her Fendi bag and a jacket and made her way over to the docks. There was a wide array of boats out, but no sign of Liam until she heard him shouting her name. “Teresa! Over here!”
She turned and he was at the far end, standing at the end of a gangplank next to quite possibly the largest yacht she had ever seen. She rushed up to him, nearly running in heels. He was smiling and when he swiped off his sunglasses, his intense gaze met hers. For a moment, the rest of the world faded away. The seabirds overhead, the other people on the docks and the hum of the marina became nothing more than a blurry backdrop. Her entire focus was Liam. She savored the sexy way he refused to let their connection drop. It was a thunderbolt straight to the heart.
“How are you?” he asked, grasping her elbows and placing a soft kiss on her lips.
“I’m great. Also, you are a liar. This is not a boat. This is more like a floating city.”
He laughed and put his sunglasses back on. “Just wait until you get on board. Then I’ll really blow your mind.” His hand settled on the small of her back and he ushered her across the gangplank, where a deckhand stood sentry at the very end.
“Wow,” Teresa said when she stepped down onto the main deck. “How big is this thing?”
“It’s a sixty-eight-meter BNow. Three upper decks above the main deck, two lower—one for me and guests, one for the staff. There’s a hot tub and a table for ten out on the aft deck.”
Teresa walked ahead with Liam by her side, the wi
nd in her hair as she admired her surroundings. This was just absolutely stunning, with a glossy wood deck and gleaming chrome. Pure luxury with a large outdoor seating area filled with inviting loungers and colorful pillows. Beyond was the hot tub he’d mentioned, which would afford fabulous sea views. With all of it set against the beautiful backdrop of deep blue sea and the slowly setting sun, it felt nothing short of both lavish and romantic. It was like stepping into an instant vacation. And with an incredibly sexy man, to boot.
“Come inside,” he said, taking her hand again. “We have champagne and I have something I want to ask you.”
Liam had already surprised her greatly with the yacht. She couldn’t imagine what else he had in store. But as he tugged on her hand, urging her to join him, she knew she was prepared for anything this man had to offer. Anything at all.
* * *
Just as the boat was leaving the dock, Liam led Teresa into the main living space on the boat, an expansive living room with a sleek modern sectional sofa and a huge television, although there was no point in ever turning it on. The 360-degree view from that room was the real focus. Of course, now Liam was focused on gathering his strength to ask Teresa the question he’d been pondering. But first, champagne.
He unwrapped the foil and popped the cork on a bottle of Krug, then filled two flutes. He offered one to Teresa and held his for a toast. “To my father.”
She smiled warmly. “Yes. To your father. He raised an amazing son.”
Liam took a sip, appreciating Teresa’s sentiment, but unsure he could really live up to a label like amazing. Losing his dad was making him see everything through a very different lens, but the good side of that was he knew he needed to focus on his life outside work. Hopefully a life that could include Teresa.
